Events of great tourist appeal such as shows, fairs, musical, theatrical, cinematographic and gastronomic festivals, as well as sports competitions and religious festivals. These are some of the types of events planned in Sicily between 2024 and December 2025 included in the “Calendar of events of great tourist attraction” adopted by the Sicilian Region for the two-year period 2024-25 with a decree signed by the Tourism Councillor, Elvira Beloved.
«From this year the calendar is biennial as we had anticipated during the Milan International Tourism Exchange – says the president of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani – because we believe it is strategic for planning to know in advance the attractions initiatives in order to also favor the deseasonalization of tourism».
«We have equipped ourselves with the calendar for the years 2024 and 2025 – says the regional councillor for Tourism, Elvira Beloved – to underline the importance of a two-year planning that identifies the events of strong appeal inserted through the specific notice expired in June 2023. This is a fundamental tool for tourism planning strongly desired by the Schifani government whose objective is to enrich the offer with artistic, folkloristic and sporting shows and events of public and private initiative».
The calendar, which has exclusively promotional purposes, includes events identified on the basis of tourist appealand is the result of the notice addressed to public, religious, regional theater and opera bodies, foundations and also NGOs, non-profit organizations, associations and cooperatives, with recognized experience and technical-financial capacity, organizers of initiatives in the regional territory of proven value and capacity for tourist entertainment. Each body could present only one initiative; initiatives for the enhancement of the cultural and landscape context, popular traditions or food and wine, attractive sports initiatives and those linked to outdoor activities, walks and the promotion of historic and rural villages were taken into consideration. The evaluation took into account the solidity of the body and the attraction capacity of the event, the tourist vocation of the territory and its accessibility, the presence of accommodation facilities and services in the area.
Among the events scheduled in the calendar, the Holy Week in Enna, Caltanissetta and Trapanithe cycle of Classical representations of Syracusethe Bellinian – homage to the Swan of Catania, the Florio Platethe Aces Cup in Palermo, the Taormina Film Fest, Taobuk and Taomodathe Orestiadi of Gibellina, the Sicily Jazz Festival and also the feast of San Giorgio in Ragusa, that of San Calogero in Agrigento, the Feast of Santa Rosalia in Palermo and the feast of S. Agata in Catania. And also the Carnival of Acireale and Sciacca, the Vara festival in Messinathe Treasure Routes in various locations, the Cous Cous Fest in San Vito lo CapotheEtna Comics in CataniaInycon in Menfi and the Almond Tree in Blossom in Agrigento.
The decree containing the Calendar is available on the institutional portal of the Sicilian Region at this link https://www.regione.sicilia.it/istituzioni/servizi-informativi/decreti-e-direttive/servizio-6-da2495-s6-22082024.